1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elongated structure which supports a camera pod and an accessories package at its opposite ends, and which is adapted for mounting to an aircraft such as a helicopter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common practice to mount camera equipment such as a spherical camera pod and an accessories package at opposite ends of an elongated support structure which is detachably connected to an aircraft. It is desirable that the support structure be easily and quickly installable, and be equally easily demountable when a filming assignment is concluded.
A currently popular aircraft for film use is a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter. It has "hard" or attach points located exteriorly of the craft, a wartime design that enables lowering and hoisting of personnel and equipment. These attach points are used as anchorages for camera equipment supports of the prior art.
One such support includes an elongated bar or tube which extends transversely through the rear passenger compartment of a Ranger model helicopter. It is positioned just above the shoulders of the cameraman and is securely held in position by attachment to a pair of support elements that are fixed to attach points located on opposite sides of the aircraft above and below the rear doors. The rear doors must be removed and left off during flight to permit this mounting arrangement. The camera pod and accessories package are suspended from the opposite ends of the tube by large, vertically oriented support bolts and fasteners.
The support can be relatively quickly mounted to or removed from the helicopter when a filming assignment is completed, but it cannot be easily mounted to a helicopter that is not provided with externally located attach points. Moreover, it is awkward and uncomfortable to film with the helicopter doors removed. The present system provides a means for mounting a camera equipment support system to an aircraft such as a helicopter by attaching it to interiorly located structure of the aircraft.